National News

Faith can help cleanse societal waters of racism, says Cardinal Wuerl

Cardinal Wuerl, who as the archbishop of Washington is Catholic University's chancellor, was invited by its president, John Garvey, to speak on his recent pastoral letter, "The Challenge of Racism Today."

Answer call to discipleship by addressing church’s needs, delegates told

UPDATED - More than 800 delegates representing 18 Catholic dioceses in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas participated in a bilingual three-day Region X encuentro in San Antonio April 13-15.

Cardinal, hospital staff urge Illinois legislators to act on gun bill

Chicago Cardinal Blase J. Cupich called on Illinois legislators to pass a bill that tightens restrictions on gun shop owners and helps stem the flow of illegal guns into Illinois.

Family seeks Archbishop Sheen’s intercession to heal newborn son

Fulton, named after U.S. Archbishop Fulton Sheen, was born Christmas Eve with an undiagnosed immunodeficiency. Parishioners and family are leading the charge to pray for the baby.

New poll shows Americans still consider abortion a complicated issue

Despite abortion having been part of the national debate for nearly a half-century, it remains a complex and complicated issue to a significant majority of Americans, according to a survey released April 17.

Conference looks at how to preserve religious orders’ archives

For American religious orders an upcoming conference at Jesuit-run Boston College will address a pressing need -- the preservation and archiving of their history, typically of grass-roots assistance of the neediest in rural as well as urban areas.

Bishops: Ending programs would create bigger crisis for El Salvador

Returning the combined 215,000 Salvadorans who benefit from those programs to the country's unrelenting violence and economic instability would mean devastating the nation further, breaking up families in the process and taking away the only income some families have.

In historic trip to U.S., Salvadoran bishops provide hope for migrants

The visiting bishops told worried immigrants in Washington that neither the Catholic Church, nor God, would abandon them as they face being stripped of documents to stay and work in the country legally.

Georgetown gathering seeks to overcome polarization within church

Led by Cardinal Cupich and Archbishop Gomez, whom some perceive as representing "liberal" and "conservative" perspectives, respectively, in the American Catholic Church, the conference aims to overcome long-standing divides.

Nun-activist who protests ‘immoral’ U.S. nuclear weapons focus of film

From her petite frame, knit sweater and snow-white hair, it would be difficult to guess that 88-year-old Sister Megan Rice, a member of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, recently spent two years behind bars for a felony.